Partnering with Patients and Families

One in every 18 hospital stays in Canada involve at least one harmful
event2. Patients for Patients Safety Canada champion the
patient voice and collaborate with others to contribute to all levels of the health system in their shared mission of Every Patient Safe. When patients and healthcare providers partner together, the results are powerful. The Canadian Patient Safety Institute partners with patients and ensures that patients are engaged in the development and delivery of 100 per cent of its programs and campaigns.

Key Accomplishments

An extensive guide has been created to help patients and families, patient partners, providers, and leaders work together more effectively to improve patient safety. Designed by patients and family partners, an interactive webinar series was offered by Patients for Patient Safety Canada.

Highlights Navigation

Patients for Patients Safety Canada

Patients for Patients Safety Canada (PFPSC) is a patient-led program of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute and the Canadian arm of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Patients for Patient Safety programme. Brought together by their personal stories of harm, and united by a vision of "Every Patient Safe", Patients for Patient Safety Canada members contribute to policies, practices and programs at all levels of the healthcare system. The Canadian Patient Safety Institute has partnered with patients since its inception in 2006, and is fully committed to have patients engaged in the development and delivery of all its programs and campaigns. PFPSC members have helped to shape patient safety decisions, policies and practices as partners in the National Patient Safety Consortium Steering Committee and the Canadian Patient Safety Institute Strategic Planning Committee.

Last year, PFPSC’s patient champions contributed to 98 requests for participation, including 75 national, eight provincial and 14 international initiatives. In total, PFPSC members partook in 39 speaking engagements and served on 68 Committees.

PFPSC members met in September 2017 to identify their priorities going forward. These include: medication safety, engaging the public and elected officials in advancing safe care, and partnering with other patient groups to coordinate and align its patient safety efforts.

Patient Safety Champion Awards

The Patient Safety Champion Awards recognizes organizations across the country that have introduced innovative programs co-designed with patients that have achieved outstanding results. The Canadian Patient Safety Institute and HealthCareCAN, with support from Patients for Patient Safety Canada, have partnered in this recognition program that aims to identify, celebrate and disseminate leading practices in patient engagement for patient safety.

North York General Hospital was the recipient of the 2017 Team/Organizational Champion Award recognizing their innovative approach to Never Events. The prominent Award was presented at the National Health Leadership Conference in Vancouver, on June 12, 2017.

Engaging Patients in Patient Safety – a Canadian Guide

The Engaging Patients In Patient Safety – a Canadian Guide was developed to increase the effectiveness of patient engagement in patient safety. The Guide initially launched in May 2017 and was updated in 2018. Based on current evidence and leading practices, the guide aims to help patients and families, patient partners, providers, and leaders work together more effectively to improve patient safety. The Canadian Patient Safety Institute, the Atlantic Health Quality and Patient Safety Collaborative, Health Quality Ontario, and Patients for Patient Safety Canada in partnership with a group of patients and experts from across the country developed and are continuously improving this resource.

WHO Collaborating Centre

The World Health Organization (WHO) officially designated the Canadian Patient Safety Institute as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Patient Safety and Patient Engagement, to carry out activities in support of WHO programs internationally. Over the coming years, the Canadian Patient Safety Institute will provide policy, strategic and technical advice for various WHO initiatives, and support the development, adaptation, spread and evaluation of patient safety tools and resources at a global level.